Far Away
by emma moon
Summary: It's been six years since Sasuke left Konoha and Sakura feels that she has outgrown her childish crush and become an accomplished medic nin. One day, Sasuke returns and Sakura feels confused about her feelings. Also, how is Danzo connected to her parents?
1. Return

"Sakura."

The young woman looked up from the medical scroll she had been perusing and stared into the face of her teacher, the Hokage, Tsunade.

"He's back," Tsunade watched for any reaction on her student's face. There was a brief flash of surprise, before her features closed. The Hokage knew she didn't need to point out exactly who _he_ was.

"I see," Sakura carefully rolled the scroll up and placed it on the table she was sitting at. Shadows stretched across Tsunade's spacious office and Sakura rubbed her neck to ease the strain from sitting and reading for hours. "It's been a long time."

"Six years," Tsunade crossed the room and set her ever present sake bottle and two glasses on the table. Taking a seat next to Sakura, she poured out liberal amounts of the alcohol and gave Sakura a glass. "Drink up. I think you need it."

Sakura chuckled dryly and sipped the strong liquid. She didn't make it a habit to drink, but Tsunade was right. She needed it.

"I never thought he would return to Konoha. Does that mean he was successful?"

Tsunade drowned her sake quickly and poured another glass. "From what little information that was gathered, Itachi is dead." She glanced at her apprentice and admired the woman she had become. As a young girl of thirteen, Sakura had asked to train under Tsunade, showing much promise in so little time. Her strength was awesome and her medical skills unsurpassed, even by Tsunade herself.

Sakura shook back her shoulder length, pink hair. Her emerald eyes stared morosely into the dark liquid of the sake as memories assailed her. It had been a very long time. So much to remember. So much she wanted to forget.

"Is Naruto all right?" Sakura questioned. "He went after Sasuke, even when I told him not to. I wanted to be there to help him." And that was what hurt Sakura most of all. That her friend and teammate had left in the dead of night, leaving her behind. It seemed she was always left behind.

"He's fine. A few bumps and bruises. Mostly got those from dragging Uchiha back with him." Tsunade lifted her glass in silent toast to Naruto and drank deeply. Sakura smiled slightly and sipped a bit more of the sake.

"I guess Sasuke wasn't thrilled coming back here. After all, he left the village on his own." Sakura lowered the glass to the table with a snap and stood from her seat. "Seems silly to think he would return on his own. I don't think he even once looked back." She stared out the window and watched the last traces of red and orange streak across the sky. Stars slowly appeared and twinkled brightly overhead.

Sakura's mind drifted back to the time two and a half years after Sasuke had left the Hidden Leaf village. She, Naruto, Yamoto and Sai had trailed after Orochimaru, hoping to save Sasuke and bring him back before Orochimaru could use Sasuke as his vessel. How foolish that hope had been. Naruto had almost destroyed himself when he lost control of the demon kept inside of him and sprouted four tails of the Nine Tail fox during battle with Orochimaru. Sakura had been injured by Naruto trying to stop him. Eventually, they came face to face with their former teammate and were almost killed by him. At that point, Sakura had known that Sasuke had chosen his path and it had nothing to do with his former teammates any longer.

"It's getting late," Sakura gathered the rest of the scrolls she had been studying and set them back on the shelves that lined one side of the room. Taking a deep breath, she faced her mentor and shrank a bit under her shrewd gaze.

"Give my best to Naruto," Tsunade remarked casually. "And tell him that I would like to see him in the morning."

"Of course," Sakura bowed to Tsunade and waved good-bye. She knew that if she hurried, she would catch Naruto at Ichiraku Ramen stand. He would undoubtedly be with their former Academy teacher, Iruka. Lightly jumping from roof to roof, Sakura finally touched down a few minutes later to hear Naruto's voice ringing from inside the small restaurant.

"I'll take two of those and one of those," Naruto was bouncing up and down on his stool as he pointed to the different types of ramen available. Iruka was shaking his head and staring woefully at his wallet. He should know better than to think it would be cheap to eat ramen with Naruto.

"Iruka-sensei, which kind do you want?" Naruto was happily slurping up his ramen and sighed with contentment. "It's all so good."

"You're such a pig," Sakura commented lightly sitting on the stool next to her friend. Sakura gave a friendly smile to Ayame, the owner's daughter as Naruto looked over at Sakura, ramen hanging from his mouth before being sucked in.

"Sa-Sakura!" Naruto smiled and grabbed the pink haired kunoichi in a tight hug, nearly spilling his ramen in the process. Sakura stiffened slightly, but melted into the embrace. Naruto was her closest friend, it was hard to stay mad at him for long.

"Naruto," Sakura returned his embrace before pulling back. She studied his face and saw a few bruises along his jaw and some scratches on his neck. "You're lucky that Sasuke didn't hurt you worse."

"Like that would ever happen," Naruto scoffed. He resumed inhaling his ramen while Iruka lay his head on the counter, moaning how Naruto would pauper him.

Sakura pulled out her purse and laid some bills on the counter. "Here you go Ayame. I'll take care of the tab tonight."

"All right!" Naruto exclaimed, punching his fist in the air. "In that case, I'll take three mo..."

"Idiot!" Sakura slapped Naruto on the back of the head. "You've had enough!"

"But I'm still hungry!" Naruto wailed. "I've been gone three weeks! C'mon Sakura!"

Sakura narrowed her gaze and Naruto flinched slightly. "We still have to chat about that."

Sakura hopped off the stool and put her purse back in her vest pocket. Naruto shrank at the hard look in his friend's eyes. He knew that Sakura would be mad and probably wouldn't understand his reasons for going by himself. He had wanted to spare her the pain if he wasn't able to bring Sasuke back. Luckily for Naruto, Sasuke barely had the strength to resist being brought to Konoha. Now, the Uchiha was at the hospital under constant supervision by the medical staff and ANBU.

"Sakura..." Naruto began, but his friend held up a hand and shook her head.

"It doesn't matter," she said flatly. "I have to go. My mom's waiting for me."

Naruto smiled sadly at Sakura. He knew that it would take a bit for her hurt to ease. "Tell your mom I said hi."

Sakura nodded and smiled in return. "By the way, Naruto, Tsunade would like you to report to her office first thing tomorrow." With that, she bid both Naruto and Iruka good-bye and left Ichiraku.

Her feet automatically carried her the way she had walked so many times before. Lost in thought, Sakura jolted to awareness when she found herself in front of a sliding door. She quietly slid the door open and slipped inside the room beyond. Beeping sounds greeted her as she walked to the bed set in the middle of the white room. There was a small lamp burning softly on the nondescript dresser. Flowers drooped in a glass vase and Sakura made a mental note to replace the flowers in the morning as she dropped them in the trash. Her eyes adjusted more to the dimly lit room. She could make out the small figure lying silently in the bed.

"Mama."

Sakura took a seat next to her mother and grasped the limp hand lying above the covers, pressing it against her cheek. There was no flicker of movement from the woman lying silent and Sakura knew that there probably never would be again.

Her parents had both been ANBU. They had been on an A ranked mission when they were ambushed two days from home. Sakura had been part of the team that had found her parents. Her father's lifeless body had lay over his wife's, protecting her even in death. Sakura never knew who had murdered her father and left her mother to die. At this point, she probably would never know.

"I took the Jounin exam yesterday," Sakura smoothed back her mother's golden locks. "Kakashi-sensei was there for me. I wish you and Dad could have been too." Sakura released a shaky breath and felt the dreaded tears stream down her face. "Of course Naruto missed the whole thing. He was too busy keeping that damn promise..." Sakura ruthlessly brushed the tears from her face. "I'll tell him tomorrow about it. I'll get some satisfaction from the look on his face at least."

"Ino's mom said she'll come by tomorrow during the day. She has a lot of gossip to catch you up on. Naruto says hello." No response. Sakura's shoulders slumped and she cursed silently at herself. Every day she came in with the hope that her mother would open her eyes and gaze upon her daughter's face. And each day, that hope was crushed by bitter disappointment.

"I have to go, Mama. Visiting hours are almost over." Sakura leaned over and kissed her mother's cheek. The skin felt stretched and brittle under her lips. Pulling back, Sakura straightened the bed sheets one last time and stood. "I'll be back tomorrow."

Sakura left her mother's hospital room and slowly made her way down the hall. Her steps echoed in the empty hallway and her mind wandered slightly, going over her plans for the next day. It helped lessen the pain when her mind was filled with duties and responsibilities. It helped her forget, for only a little while, that there was no one waiting at home for her.

She surprised herself by stopping in front of another door. Placing her hand on the handle, she hesitated while looking around. She knew that ANBU operatives were discreetly watching the room, but they wouldn't stop her because of her connection to Tsunade and her position here at the hospital. Beyond that door, he was there. Lying in bed, recovering from whatever injuries he had sustained from the battle with his brother, Itachi Uchiha. It would be simple to just open the door, see for herself that he was actually here. Back in Konoha.

Battling with herself, Sakura silently slid the door open a few inches. Breath held, she waited for a sign of movement from inside the darkened room.

Nothing.

Growing bolder, she opened the door a bit more. Sakura's heartbeat quickened as she gazed upon Sasuke for the first time in over three years. His face had gotten leaner, stronger. He no longer had the boyish good looks of his tender youth. His face was that of a man. All angles and planes. One hand lay unmoving on the top of the blankets and Sakura could see the bandages wrapped around it.

His even breathing permeated the room and before she knew it, Sakura had taken a few tentative steps inside. He was the same, but yet, so different. Feeling compelled she continued further into the room, stopping next to his bed, staring down at the person who she had spent more than half her life loving. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. She always noticed that about him. No matter how cold and hard he was when awake, when asleep, he looked younger, more vulnerable. She tentatively reached out her hand to see if he was truly lying there in that hospital bed and not just a figment of her overactive imagination. Sakura brushed back a strand of hair from his face and smiled softly.

"Sa-Sakura?"

The raspy whisper broke her trance. With a small gasp, Sakura backed away from the bed before whirling around and darting out the door, closing it behind her. Panting, she leaned against the door her blood roaring in her ears.

How did he know? How could he have known she was there?


	2. Fallen

Far Away Chapter Two

Fallen

The next few weeks flew by and Sakura did her best to forget the night she had gone into Sasuke's room at the hospital.

Since then, she had thrown herself into her training with Tsunade. She also avoided the part of the hospital where Sasuke's room was located. Even though she didn't want to admit it, that impromptu visit had affected her more than she realized. If she found herself dwelling on it; she worked herself that much harder, practically to the point of exhaustion, hoping her troubled mind would give her some peace.

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow and brought her arms up in a defensive stance. Kunai gleamed dully in the sunlight as her eyes darted around looking for her attacker.

She knew that this brief respite would abruptly end any moment. Sakura closed her eyes and used a small amount of her chakra to reach out and sense her attacker's presence. It was faint, but coming closer rapidly. She tightened her grip on the kunai and prepared to lash out at the right moment.

iWait for it. Wait for it... now!/i

Sakura's eyes snapped open as her arm came up in a deadly arc. "Ahhhhhhhh!" She yelled, spinning around to meet her attacker.

"Gotcha Sakura!" Naruto pounced from eight different directions. His shadow clones dog piling her to the ground.

"Heeeeeee," Naruto chortled as his clones disappeared in puffs of smoke. He reached down to help Sakura up and was startled to see a tree stump lying on the ground where his teammate had originally been.

"A Replacement Jutsu!" Naruto exclaimed. He felt a tug on the back of his jacket before he was suddenly being dragged like a rag doll across the uneven terrain. Looking up, he saw a black ink lion had him in its teeth. "Damn you, Sai!" Naruto flailed his arms and legs as the lion continued its romp across the field.

"All right everyone, training's over." Kakashi stood up from his relaxed position underneath his favorite tree and closed his Icha Icha Paradise book with a snap. Sakura, Sai and finally, Naruto collapsed on the grass in front of Kakashi. It had been an exhausting training session, but Sakura felt a great sense of satisfaction at her performance. She had improved since she had first joined Team Seven.

"I'm proud of all of you," Kakashi drawled. He sensed a familiar chakra making its way toward the group along with two others and he smiled under his mask. Things were about to get more interesting.

"I would have had you Sakura if Sai's stupid drawing hadn't grabbed me." Naruto glared at the artist and Sai just smiled pleasantly knowing how much it would irritate the other shinobi.

"You just hate to admit you're inferior," Sai said slowly. He twirled a paintbrush in his fingers. "And stupid."

"Why you-" Naruto launched himself at Sai and found himself dangling off the ground again, but this time held back by Kakashi.

"Enough," Kakashi dropped Naruto hard and the blond boy cursed long and loud. Sakura laughed at the scene. It was typical after a training session. "We have a visitor. Welcome back, Sasuke." Kakashi noted that two ANBU ninjas were perched in the tree above the Uchiha. Until the Hokage deemed otherwise, Sasuke was not free to roam about on his own.

Sakura stiffened and slowly turned and saw that it was in fact Sasuke slouching behind their sensei. Conflicting emotions swirled through her. Happiness, grief, anger, bitterness and betrayal all warred with each other.

"Hn," grunted Sasuke. He studied his former teammates dispassionately. Naruto looked uncertain, like he was expecting Sasuke to attack him any moment. Sai looked bored until he met Sasuke's eyes and then you could read the simmering resentment there. Sakura had not met his eyes at all. She had busied herself with putting her weapons back in her pouch and straightening her shirt.

"I have to go," Sakura wiped her sweaty palms against her black shorts. "I'm needed at the hospital." She could feel the weight of Sasuke's gaze on her as she walked away. Damn him for making her feel awkward. Damn Naruto for bringing him back. Damn Sasuke for leaving.

"Sakura."

She hesitated, for the briefest of moments, before she disappeared in a puff of blue smoke. Frustrated, Sasuke returned to where Kakashi, Sai and Naruto sat. Reluctant to make a further fool of himself and fall over where he stood, Sasuke gingerly lowered himself to the ground and waited.

"Sasuke will be training with us from now on," Kakashi informed Naruto and Sai. "Sakura will be on a mission next week," Kakashi ignored the startled look on Sasuke's face. "She'll be with Shizune and Hinata."

Sai scowled as he perused the former member of Team Seven. "I guess we don't have much choice," Naruto narrowed his eyes at the artist and opened his mouth to retort when Kakashi cut him off.

"Actually, you don't. As part of Sasuke's probation agreement he is to be supervised by me." Sasuke's scowl matched Sai's in intensity, but he wisely chose to stay silent. "Because of that agreement, Sasuke will be doing D and C class missions, which both of you will participate in as well." This was said with a pointed look at Naruto, who flushed under the scrutiny of his sensei.

"Whatever," Naruto replied. He snuck a glance at Sasuke and saw the pale color of his face and the beads of sweat. Sasuke had been badly injured by his brother and was lucky to even be alive. Naruto was curious how Sasuke had escaped the fate of being Orichimaru's vessel, but curbed that curiosity until he knew that the Uchiha would fully recover. He wanted Sasuke to be able to defend himself when they fought again. Naruto knew they would. It was inevitable.

Feeling the gaze of his "teammates", Sasuke glared at them both and then lay back on the grass and closed his eyes. For too long he had lived with the burning rage of his revenge. It had eaten away at him, leaving behind a person who was hardly recognizable. The fight between Itachi and himself was blurry... like looking through a warped piece of glass. All he knew was that at the end of it all, he had expected to feel elation, righteousness. Most importantly, justice. Instead, he had felt hollow and unfulfilled. He had killed the person who had destroyed his entire clan, but the victory was not as sweet and he had envisioned.

If Naruto hadn't found him, Sasuke was sure he wouldn't have survived. It was grating to realize he owed the blond shinobi his life.

"I told Kiba and Shino I'd meet them at Ichiraku," Naruto said suddenly. He could feel the tension in the air and decided that it would be best if he and Sai disappeared for the night. "Can we go now, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Training field eight, six a.m." Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair and looked at the still reclining Sasuke. "All of you. Afterward, you'll help clean up Minister Toya's garden."

"Ugh," Nartuto groaned. It was going to be hot and humid and the last thing Naruto wanted to do was pluck weeds all day. He shot the Uchiha a look of disgust before getting up and dusting off his pants. "Fine. Come on, Sai." Both ninjas disappeared quickly and Sasuke could feel Kakashi's eyes on him.

"Are you all right with only working C and D class missions?"

"What choice do I have," Sasuke answered. He refused to open his eyes and wanted to show his former sensei that he was relaxed, like he didn't have a care in the world. "If I don't do the missions and agree to be under your care, I'll be thrown in prison."

"True." Kakashi sat on the ground next to Sasuke and stared at the large, uneven crags of earth in the center of the training field. "You know, you were wrong about her."

Sasuke cracked one eye open. "Who?"

"Sakura," Kakashi leaned one arm on his upright knee and smiled. "She's one hell of a kunoichi. You see that over there?" Sasuke opened both eyes and sat up to see where Kakashi was pointing. "She did that. She's got immense strength and chakra control. The Hokage trained her well."

Sasuke wanted to scoff. Sakura? Powerful? The whining, lovestruck girl he had known had always needed protection while on missions. It was foreign to him that his once weak teammate could wield that type of power.

"There's a lot you don't know about them," Kakashi continued. "You've been gone a long time and they both found their paths. They found their strength here in the village."

"Is that your subtle way of telling me off?" Sasuke tried to get to his feet, but pain ripped through him and he fell to one knee gasping. His hand immediately went to his side where the majority of the pain was radiating and cursed under his breath. It had been over a month since he had been brought back to the village. He should have been mostly healed by now.

"Looks like you need some help," Kakashi said cheerfully. Sasuke tried to slap away Kakashi's hands as the older man reached to pull him to his feet. It galled him that he would appear weak in front of his former sensei. Mortified, Sasuke lurched to his feet, ignoring the hand that was extended for him. He swayed for a moment and then, through sheer force of will, he stayed on his feet.

"Stubborn as ever," Kakashi commented lightly. "That was your problem. You never wanted to show weakness. You never wanted to ask for help, or for friendship."

"What does it matter?" Sasuke snapped. "I'm a Uchiha. We don't ask for help. We're not weak."

"Hmmmm. Are you sure?" With that, Kakashi nodded to the ANBU guards still perched in the tree above his head. "Escort Sasuke home, would you? I'll pick him up in the morning."

Seething, Sasuke watched the Copy Nin disappear in a puff of smoke. What did he know? Weak? Him? He trained for years to be able to defeat his brother and avenge the death of his clan. He forced himself to learn new jutsus and to hone his body and mind. It was strength and power that forged him. He'd prove Kakashi wrong. He'd prove them all wrong.


End file.
